Rapid Shift

Zip comprehensive local transportation

Most urban environments don’t need more cars. Most times, they need fewer cars. Zipcar has joined the solution to problems of space, parking, congestion, and air pollution in yet another way (aside from its leadership in carsharing). Zipcar recently decided to launch Zipbike, a partnership with a startup called Zagster. The new vehicle-sharing venture is not about cars — as you might have guessed.

Zipbike will launch in January in 10 college campuses, and 15 by the end of 2017. Zagster already runs a bike-sharing business and charges schools a $150 monthly fee per bike. Zipbike will cut that amount by 90%. New customers will be able to sign up just for Zipbike, or they can get a discount if they sign up for both the bike-sharing service and Zipcar’s car-sharing program.

A rental car now and then is a convenient option, enabling more people to sell their cars or not buy one, but making bicycles more accessible is another way to have the same effect.

Zagster co-founder Timothy Ericson said, “The process of securing sponsorship and underwriting is a time-consuming process for universities, and can set back the launch of bike sharing programs. Because we’ve solved that problem up front, Zipbike can be deployed seamlessly and quickly.”

Here are some more points about the benefits of the combined programs: